No he’s right. Conservative is a relative term, relative to the times and situations. Way back when in the far gone days of yesteryear environmentalism (then called conservationism) was a conservative platform, now the libs own it. JFK started the citizen marksmanship program, Clinton ended it. JFK hammered through a huge tax cut. What’s conservative and liberal this year might or might not have any relationship to how the terms were applied 40 years ago, 20 years ago, or sometimes even just a few years ago. Look at the short history of bye-line veto and fast track treaty negotiation, those are two issues that switch with the White House, conservatives are for them when the GOP owns the Oval Office Libs love them when the Dems are at the top.
No it isn't. The Constitution is in black and white. It is concrete. The words are what they are, and it is simple to extract their historical meaning, as well as the intent of the writers. It's purpose is to define the specific powers that the People delegate to the Government and lay out the framework for our Federal level.
Personal philosopy is not concrete, it is a mental construct. Conservative is an adjective, not a noun. Conservative versus Progressive is a continuum, like hot versus cold or up versus down. Is boiling water hot? Yes, compared to ice, no, compared to molten magma. Was JFK a conservative? No, compared to Goldwater. Yes, compared to Pelosi or most of the modern Dem leadership cadre.
I respectfully disagree. A conservative who is skeptical abou Human caused global warming would change his position if he was presented with an accurate, persuasive reasoned argument. This differs us from liberals who have a dogma and change would amount to heresy